WILD BEASTS' fans in Cornwall have the fact the band hails from a relatively isolated part of the country to thank for their visit here next month.

The four-piece from Kendal in Cumbria – featuring Hayden Thorpe's unique falsetto, androgynous lyrics and chiming experimentation – have proved to be one of the most original bands to emerge in the UK in recent years.

When I made their 2009 collection Two Dancers my album of the year, I went as far as to dub them the best British band since The Smiths. Big words indeed, but I stick by them.

Drummer and vocalist Chris Talbot told me: "Our tour in March is a deliberate attempt to visit places we haven't been for years, or places we have never visited, like Falmouth.

"We checked up on the venue when we realised it was an option and saw that bands like The Subways had played it, and it looked interesting.

"We are well aware what it's like to live somewhere isolated. I know the feeling teenagers in places like Falmouth must feel, who are desperate to get out. All the band felt like that when we lived in Kendal.

"The thing is once you get older you want to return. I'm aching to go back to Kendal."

The band are currently enjoying two months off, following their most hectic – and successful – year yet.

Third album Smother was a Top 20 hit and was a brave, ambitious follow-up to the Mercury-nominated Two Dancers. Chris added: "Yes, it was quite a difficult album – we don't think 'we got away with it' but you've got to trust that people like to be surprised and challenged. The challenge for us was making it work live, as that was never a consideration when we were making it. The songs on Smother are layered and very dense in parts. It meant we welcomed a new touring member into the Wild Beasts family (Katie Harkin from Sky Larkin)."

So what does the future hold after the success of Smother?

"We're having a sabbatical through January and February to take stock, but we'll all be working on different music ideas on laptops or guitars at home.

"Hayden writes the lyrics, but we all present music to the band. It's a democracy, no one's egotistical, so everything we do is open to someone else in the band tearing it to shreds."

Wild Beasts are not averse to watching how other bands they admire have progressed.

"We are five years into our career now so are slightly in awe of a band like The National who stuck by their guns and developed over 15 years, the same with Radiohead who took a completely different path after the huge success of OK Computer but still kept their fans."

What about the band I compared them with? Are they influenced by The Smiths?

"I'm too young to remember them but I know how important they were. We definitely flirt with camp like they did, and they were very human, they didn't rush to cover up any blemishes. We're definitely like that."

If you want to see a band who could become every inch as groundbreaking as Radiohead or The Smiths, then make sure you head to Falmouth's Princess Pavilion on Thursday, March 15, especially as new Leeds band Alt-J, who are every bit as astonishing as Wild Beasts, are supporting.

Chris added: "I used to come down to Cornwall on holiday all the time and I think the rest of the guys in the band did as well. We're really looking forward to the gig."

For tickets ring the Pavilion box office on 01326 211222.